


If You Try Sometimes

by fade_like_starlight



Series: If You Try Sometimes [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore's Army, F/M, Gen, Room of Requirement, Room of Requirement Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 17:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7693555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fade_like_starlight/pseuds/fade_like_starlight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After months of rebellion, detention and subsequent torture, the Carrows - and by extension, the Death Eaters - had finally decided it wasn't worth keeping Neville alive.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Written late 2007, originally posted on Livejournal and based on the following prompt:<br/>Neville and company first finding the Room of Requirement, including the tunnel to Hog's Head. Perhaps, Aberforth's reactions to them showing up. Has he always known about a tunnel there behind Ariana's portrait? Maybe, the students sharing stories of why they're looking for refuge in the Room of Requirement (specific reasons to escape from trouble).</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You Try Sometimes

**Author's Note:**

> Original Notes: The title comes from the Rolling Stones, and there's a few lines of dialogue lifted directly from Deathly Hallows. I tried my best to make it canon-compliant, but there's a few timing inconsistencies in the book that I had to exposition away, I'm afraid. The idea of Padma Patil as the DA's unofficial Healer is not mine - I've read fics from three or four separate authors who use this idea, so let's say that comes from the collective consciousness of the fandom.  
> I also found I had far too many stories for each of the DA to fit in here, so there's a connected series of character exploration drabbles to follow.
> 
> Updated Notes: I've decided to polish up some of my old HP fanfic and post it here, mostly so I can keep a collection all in the same place.

**Day 1.**

The door slammed shut behind him.

'Well, fuck,' Neville Longbottom breathed. He wasn't usually the type to swear, but the situation seemed to call for it. After months of rebellion, detention and subsequent torture, the Carrows - and by extension, the Death Eaters - had finally decided it wasn't worth keeping Neville alive. His Gran was on the run (and he cheered inwardly every time he thought of Dawlish in St Mungos), and Amycus Carrow had just hid outside the library and shot an Avada Kadavra at Neville as he left. It wasn't the greatest plan, but neither of the Carrows had much in the way of brains.

Neville was surprised it had taken this long, though. He'd been expecting it for weeks - since Pansy Parkinson had ratted him out for slipping a Confusing Concoction into the Carrows' pumpkin soup at dinner. They'd only given him a week of detention. At least, they'd given him a week of detention _after_ they stopped bumping into walls and talking in riddles that they didn't even understand.

A few minutes ago, though, he'd have been toast if he hadn't dropped his Charms textbook. The curse hit the wall where his head would have been, and Neville took off. He'd gained enough distance on Amycus that he could dash into the Room of Requirement unseen, and now he leaned against the wall, puffing quietly and listening to Amycus rant outside. Someone ran up, boots clattering loudly, and Alecto asked 'Did you get him?'

'No! Bloody kid's hiding somewhere. He's gotta come out soon, though, kid's gotta eat. We'll tell the house elves not to feed him.'

'And when he comes out...' Neville could hear the grin in Alecto's voice.

The two Carrows walked off as Amycus said, 'It's bye-bye, Longbottom.'

Neville closed his eyes. So. He wouldn't be leaving here anytime soon, then. What had the room provided? He turned to look, and found a cosy little bedroom, a hammock in one corner, a wireless in another, an empty portrait frame on the back wall and a roaring fireplace heating the room nicely. He dumped his book-bag on the floor and started trying to tune into Potterwatch.

After an hour, though, he gave up and settled into the hammock. It was just coming on dinnertime, and he figured Seamus, Parvati and Lavender would be missing him about now. The four of them - and Ginny, when she was here - had been living together in the boys' dorm since the beginning of the year, and he'd grown used to the company. It was a bit like living in DA headquarters.

The DA! Neville scrambled in his pocket for his coin. Terry, Padma and Michael had made a few modifications to Hermione's original charms, and as well as sending dates and times, the coins could now be used to send short messages, to individuals or to the group. _Am fine,_ he wrote. _in R. of Req, don't come for me. NL._ He sent it to Seamus, trusting that he would give only the necessary details to the right people, and then on a whim, sent it to Hannah Abbott as well. Hannah was Head Girl this year - a position Neville was sure would have been Hermione's, but Hannah had proven herself a great double agent. The positions had been chosen long before the Death Eaters took over, but the Carrows didn't think a Hufflepuff would trouble them at all. Hannah, though, managed to feed them false information about the students' activities, all the while keeping tabs on _their_ plans.

Finding an apple in his bag, Neville settled into the hammock for a long night's wait.

**Day 2.**

Life in the Room of Requirement was utter boredom, punctuated by spikes of terror when Neville thought he could hear people whispering outside. He'd started strengthening the Room with as many requests as he could - _don't let the Carrows find me, don't let Snape in, don't let any of their supporters find the Room_ \- and all he could do was wait. Seamus had sent a short message back, so Neville knew life outside the Room was continuing as normal - as normal as possible, anyway.

Also, he was hungry. He'd tried asking for food, but all the Room was able to provide was some dried up crunchy thing that Neville suspected was once a loaf of bread.

He was sitting on the floor, half-heartedly reading his Herbology book and feeling sorry for himself, wishing there was a way to bring some food into the Room, when a swish of white caught the corner of his eye. Heart pounding, he grabbed his wand and jumped up.

There was nothing there. He spun slowly, taking in the wireless, the hammock, the armchair, the fireplace and finally, the empty portrait. He narrowed his eyes and watched the frame. _There!_ A slip of fabric in the corner - robes? Or a skirt?

'Who are you?' he demanded. 'Come out, let me see you.'

With a toss of long, blonde hair, a girl stepped into view. She was younger than him, probably thirteen or fourteen. Her wide blue eyes held the merest hint of curiosity, and she was dressed in an old fashioned white robe.

'Hello,' she said, her voice whispery and dreamy. 'My name is Ariana.'

'Hi,' said Neville, putting his wand away. 'I'm Neville. Are you a new portrait? I haven't seen you before.'

She shook her head. 'Have you seen my brother? He put me here, a long time ago, and he used to come and visit, but I haven't seen him for many months. I live with my other brother now, but I miss Al.'

'Uh, no, sorry,' Neville said.

'Are you a wizard? I'm not allowed to talk to Muggles.'

'I am,' Neville said, frowning. 'This is Hogwarts, there aren't any Muggles here.'

'That is good,' Ariana said, turning to leave. 'Thank you, Neville. I have to go now, my brother will be worried.' She started walking towards a tunnel in the back of her picture that Neville hadn't noticed.

'Wait! Can you visit the other Hogwarts portraits?' Neville asked, suddenly afraid she'd let something slip to the wrong painting.

'No,' Ariana replied. 'I am not tied to the castle. My other frame is held in the Hog's Head, with my brother.'

Neville knew that name. The Hog's Head... He scrunched his nose, and Ariana giggled.

'The pub! In Hogsmeade!' his eyes lit up. 'Oh, but wait. You can't bring me food or anything, can you? Paintings can't transport objects, can they?'

'No,' she said. 'But I can take you with me. Open that,' she pointed to a latch on the outer rim of her frame.

Neville clicked it, and had to duck his head to avoid a nasty bump as the frame swung forward. Behind it was a real tunnel, and Ariana standing there. He climbed in excitedly, and examined Ariana. She wasn't exactly flesh and bone, but she had a painted texture to her. He felt he could reach out and touch her - and nearly did, before remembering she was an actual, 14 year old girl, and he was about to stroke a very inappropriate place. Neville blushed, and Ariana laughed.

'Follow me,' she said.

The tunnel stretched out, and although Neville knew it should have been a long walk, he suspected it must have been magically shortened, because in no time at all, he could see into the Hog's Head. Ariana's frame there was as big as a door, and hung over the fireplace. The view through to the pub showed it was empty, chairs and tables and bar showing as if through warped glass.

'Hi, Ab,' Ariana said, tapping gently on her frame. Through the warped window, Neville watched the old bartender turn around, putting down a glass and a rag.

'Hi, darlin',' he began, then stopped short when he saw Neville. 'Something to tell me, love?' he asked, blue eyes wide and eyebrows raised.

'This is Neville,' Ariana said, tapping at a latch with her foot. The frame swung into the bar, and Ab took a stumbling step back. 'He needs something to eat.'

Neville climbed out, warily watching the old bartender. 'I guess you didn't know she could do that,' he remarked, keeping his voice casual and his wand ready.

Ab blinked. 'Nope. You'll be the Longbottom kid, then? Heard tell you'd left Hogwarts. Should've done. No point staying. And your grandmother, stubborn old biddy. What are you doing in my sister's picture?'

'Haven't left Hogwarts,' Neville said indignantly. 'My friends are still there. I'm not going to abandon them.'

Ab shook his head, then disappeared out the back, returning with a bowl of stew and some bread. 'Eat, then, you look a mess. Aggie'd kill me if she heard I turned you away, and I don't fancy what Dawlish got himself into.'

Neville tucked into the food and began filling Ab in, concluding with 'so I ended up hiding in the Room - uh, a secret room at Hogwarts - yesterday afternoon, then Ariana found me tonight and bought me here.' A little too late, Neville suddenly thought perhaps he shouldn't have been so free with his information, and pushed the bowl away, eyes wide and fearful.

'Don't panic, boy, there's no truth potions in there. I'm not a Death Eater and I'm not going to turn you in,' the old man snapped. 'I _am_ going to tell you to wait here till morning, then disappear. Head into the mountains. Apparate to France. I don't care. You've pissed them off now, they get their hands on you, you're dead.'

Neville shrugged. 'You think I don't know that? I've already dodged one curse. I've already been tortured. I've watched them hurt my friends. I've watched them force my friends to hurt each other. What more can they do to me? I'm not going. I'm just waiting a bit longer.'

'Stubborn bloody Longbottoms,' Ab muttered, clearing Neville's bowl and bringing him more bread and cheese. 'Take that, then. Send Ariana before you if you decide to be smart and get the hell out of there, she'll make sure there's no one here.'

Neville got up to leave. 'Thanks, Ab. Just - Ariana. That was the name of Professor Dumbledore's sister, wasn't it?'

Ab didn't look at him. 'So what if it was?'

'And his brother was called Aberforth, wasn't he? Are you -'

'You'd best get back,' Ab cut him off. 'No telling when someone from the school'll arrive here, now they've shut down the Three Broomsticks.'

Neville dropped the subject of Professor Dumbledore and climbed back into the portrait hole. Ariana stood there watching. 'I've waited so long to be useful,' she said. 'Take care of yourself, Neville.'

**Day 3.**

Neville jumped. There was someone outside, he could hear the footsteps. It was 9:30pm, his third night of exile, and long after the student curfews.

The door opened, and Neville shot out a Shield Charm. He dropped it, though, when Hannah Abbott's blonde head poked around the door. His wand stayed up, and he snapped, 'What plant did we first work on together in Herbology?'

'Mandrakes, Neville, let me in! It's dangerous out here!'

'Well, I told you not to come!' He stepped back to let her in. He couldn't help a grin, though, and as soon as the door was closed, he grabbed her in a hug.

'It's nice to see you, too, Neville,' Hannah said, her words muffled in his clothes. 'So, what's new? You get bored with mere detention and decide to get yourself on the Undesirables list instead?'

'Something like that,' he said, sitting down on the floor. Hannah sat opposite him and started rummaging in her book-bag. She pulled out a few library books, some apples, a flask, her Hufflepuff scarf and cloak, and some quills and parchment.

'You know, I've lived in the same room as Parvati and Lavender all year, and I still have no idea how girls fit all that stuff in their bags,' he said, peeking in. There were even more books, as well as some assorted girl things - hair bands and lip stuff.

'It's a miracle,' she said dryly, slapping his hand away from her Sleekeasy's. 'Now, I thought you might be cold, so you can have these' - she pointed at her cloak and scarf - 'only I couldn't carry a Gryffindor set around with me, that would be suspicious, so you'll have to make do. And the apples, and some pumpkin juice, Padma put a Refilling charm on the flask for you. Also, something to read, and stuff to make notes and things.'

Hannah looked around the room and blushed. 'Oh. Except that you already have all that stuff.'

'Uh, yeah. I do. The Room is amazing - i just have to think that I need something, and there it is. Look!' He jumped up and knocked quietly on the portrait that hung on the back wall. Ariana sidled into view, and Hannah raised her eyebrows.

'Oh, how nice,' she said. 'You even have a girl.'

'No, it's not - it's a tunnel, it goes to the Hog's Head. That's how I've been getting food. I don't think anyone knows about it. The barman got a bit of a shock when he saw me.'

Hannah cocked her head. 'You know, this could be very useful. I wonder how many people we could fit in here? There's rumours - I've heard the teachers whispering. They think Harry and Ron and Hermione were caught by Snatchers, but escaped. The Carrows are getting more unstable - more violent. It's like you were the last straw for them and now they're dumping punishment on people for nothing. McGonagall stepped in yesterday, they wanted to give Natalie McDonald - you know, in 4th year - detention for dropping her ink bottle in the Great Hall.'

Neville gestured behind Hannah silently. She turned to see a second hammock, twin to Neville's, but with black and yellow comforters and hangings.

'Okay then,' she said. 'Good to know.'

Neville liked having Hannah on his side. She wasn't fussy, like Lavender could be, and she didn't fret, like Padma tended to. She got a little worked up over exams, but hell, he'd lived with Hermione for long enough that a little exam anxiety was completely normal.

'I have to go,' she said, apologetic. 'I've probably stayed too long anyway, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.'

'How did you get out, anyway? Aren't they patrolling?'

'Sprout's on tonight. She mentioned she'd be patrolling near the Astronomy Tower. That's why I couldn't come last night, it was Snape, and he's unpredictable.' She gathered her bag. 'I might have to send you a roommate or two, tomorrow. Ernie and Seamus were plotting during Charms. I don't know what, but if it all hits the Whomping Willow, they'll be in as much trouble as you.'

She looked at him, her eyes sad and serious. 'Be careful, Neville. The kids love you - they think you've run off to join Harry. If something happens to you, and they see the Carrows defeating you...' She didn't have to finish.

'I will,' Neville promised.

She hugged him, quickly, then slipped out the door.

Neville gathered Hannah's cloak and sat on the Hufflepuff hammock, a million thoughts running through his head.

**Day 4.**

'Neville! Mate! You're missing all the fun, stuck in here!'

'Hi, Seamus,' Neville greeted his roommate. 'Hi, Ernie.'

'Good evening, Neville,' Ernie said. 'You don't seem surprised to see us.'

'Hannah warned me you were up to something. I guess you got caught?'

'What gave it away?' Seamus was practically giddy. Neville was used to him being a little hyperactive, but this wasn't right. Especially for a person who looked as battered as Seamus.

'Your head is gigantic. And not in the usual up yourself way. That looks really painful.' Neville grabbed Seamus and forced him onto a newly appeared hammock. 'Do you need anything? I can get ice?'

Seamus's face was puffy and bruised, like he'd been hit repeatedly. Neville assumed it was the Carrows, although it was possible the Ravenclaw girls had simply gotten sick of the constant stream of lewd comments. Seamus didn't answer, but he did try to jump up and forage through Neville's bag.

'You, lay there and be quiet,' Neville ordered, wondering if Seamus had a concussion, and what a concussion was. Not for the first time this year, he wished Hogwarts had taught Healing or something useful instead of junk like Divination. 'I'll get you food soon. Ernie, what happened?'

Ernie was bruised and scraped, but unlike Seamus, he seemed to have retained all his mental faculties.

'We were in Charms yesterday,' he began, standing with his hands behind his back. Neville thought about telling him to relax, but decided it wasn't worth the trouble. 'Professor Flitwick had us working on layering Charms, such as levitating an already Charmed object. It was quite simple, so we then moved onto combining a Levitation charm with a spoken word cue on an already Charmed object. It seemed complicated, but once the theory was in place -'

'Ernie, I don't really care,' Neville said patiently. Ernie could be as thorough as Hermione in his own way. 'Just get to the point, please?'

'Right you are, Neville,' Ernie said easily. 'Professor Flitwick had us enchant our scarves to rise in the air and dance when we said a specific word. From there, it was quite a simple modification.'

'It was bloody brilliant, Nev,' Seamus giggled. 'You should have seen it, mate!' He slipped back down on the hammock and started snoring.

'No! Seamus, wake up!' Neville shouted. He'd heard that people with concussions should stay awake, although he'd be damned if he had to entertain Seamus all night. 'Look, let Ernie finish the story, then I'll go get you some Butterbeer, but you have to stay awake, okay?' he coaxed. 'And quiet,' he added sharply, when Seamus opened his mouth again.

'We snuck into the staff room early this morning, while everyone was at breakfast, and stole Alecto's cloak,' Ernie said, beginning to laugh himself. 'Seamus laid a recital charm on it, then I added the Levitation codeword.' He composed himself, then continued. 'During Muggle Studies this afternoon, we laid on a Cooling Charm. Everyone was wrapped in cloaks, including Alecto. And then she activated the charm. Whenever she said the word 'pureblood', her cloak would rise above her head, begin to dance, and recite passages from _Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle_.' Ernie gave over to laughter, and Neville joined him.

'Brilliant, Ernie! Seamus, that was incredible!' Neville felt as light as he'd been in weeks. He could picture the anger in Alecto's face, cloak dancing above her head. 'How'd you get caught?'

'Ah, yes. Well, it seems that the Gryffindor/Hufflepuff Charms class was the first to be instructed on layered Charms. Snape, of course, had the syllabus for all classes, and he was able to narrow the field of suspects down. It wasn't you, obviously, which left only Seamus and myself as the only two to have both that Charms class and the afternoon Muggle Studies class. We've been in detention all evening - I thought perhaps it wise to bring Seamus directly here rather than risk taking him all the way to Ravenclaw.'

'No, that was good,' Neville said, fumbling in his pocket. 'It's better to keep him safe in here - what did they get him with, anyway?'

Ernie shrugged, a gesture too casual for him, and Neville realised how weary and bruised Ernie was, too.

'Sit down,' he said, taking out his coin. 'I'm calling Padma to come and look at you both - at _both_ of you,' he insisted, as if Ernie were in any state to argue, 'and then I'm going to get some hot food and butterbeer for you.'

Time passed as Ernie napped and Neville poked Seamus to stay awake. His coin warmed, and he knew Padma was outside. She came in, Terry Boot behind her.

'He wouldn't let me come alone,' she said, affectionately rolling her eyes.

'Well, if you got caught, you've got no excuse. If we got caught, we just pretend that we're trying to find a quiet broom closet - Merlin, what happened to you?' Terry caught sight of Seamus and put Padma's bag on the floor next to him.

'Got caught for the cloak thing,' Ernie mumbled. 'Snape worked it out, we were the only ones in both classes.'

'Well, that was pretty stupid planning, wasn't it, Finnigan?' Terry said. Seamus rose his hand in a rude gesture and Terry grinned.

'Can you heal it, Padma?' Neville said, gathering his cloak.

'I don't know,' she said worriedly. 'Ernie should be fine, but Seamus - I don't even know how they did that. I'll do what I can.' She knelt down and began to work.

'I'm going for food,' Neville said quietly to Terry. 'Don't open the door at all, and try to keep quiet. There's a muffling charm on, but I don't know how strong it is.'

As he climbed onto the step in front of Ariana's portrait, Padma called to him.

'Neville - it's good to see you safe.'

'You too,' he smiled, and closed the passage.

When he returned, hot pasties in a bag and bottles of Butterbeer in his hands, Padma was closing a small cut on Ernie's face. 'That's the best I can do,' she said apologetically.

'Food!' Seamus said, grabbing the packages from Neville so he could climb down.

'I've got some news, too,' Neville said. 'Aberforth, the bartender at the Hogs Head, heard it on Potterwatch. Harry's okay, he was caught by Snatchers, but he escaped and now he's at an Order safe house. Hermione and Ron were with him, and Seamus - so were Dean and Luna.'

Seamus dropped his head, and Padma hugged him. 'It's alright,' he said. 'It's just - it's alright.'

With that, the five of them feasted, plotted and planned until it was late enough that Padma and Terry could sneak back to Ravenclaw.

**Day 6.**

'Unbelievable!' Neville sighed. 'Does the entire bloody school know I'm hiding here?'

'Pretty much,' Parvati said, entering the Room like she owned it, Lavender and Susan close behind her. 'Well, everyone we can trust, anyway. The DA, obviously, and some of the little kids - mainly brothers and sisters. And I'm pretty sure McGonagall knows.'

'Flitwick, too,' Susan said. 'And Sprout.'

'Professor Trelawney definitely knows,' Lavender said, wide-eyed. 'I mean, she'd have Seen it, wouldn't she?'

Seamus cut them off before Lavender could continue. 'Okay, but why are you here? Carrying... supplies,' he said, watching Susan Enlarge her trunk.

'Oh, we got caught,' Parvati started.

'But not really,' Lavender continued.

'See, we were in Transfig., and McGonagall told us to stay back, and we couldn't work out what we'd done -'

'But we thought it must have been about you, so we waited, and she hinted that she knew we'd both moved into your dorm at the beginning of the year -'

'And she wasn't upset, well, not really, I think she knew neither of us would do anything with either of you -'

'Oh, thanks,' Seamus muttered.

'But then she said the Carrows had heard about our 'sleeping arrangements', and she said that she'd assured them it must have been only since you both left -'

'Because they're saying that you've joined up with the Death Eaters, they must think it's more effective than saying they just can't find you -'

'And McGonagall suggested to us that they might decide to conduct a night time raid tonight, and that we should probably be sleeping in the girls' dorm, but we figured, even if we did, they'd find something to punish us for anyway -'

'So we decided we might as well really piss them off and just move in with you again!' Parvati gave them a winning smile, which almost offset the shock of hearing her swear.

'You look confused, Neville,' Lavender said brightly.

'I've long given up any hope of understanding you, Lavender. But why are you here, Susan? You weren't living in the Hufflepuff boys' dorm, were you?'

'Merlin, no,' she said, scowling at one of the new hammocks the Room had provided until it changed to black and yellow. 'I, uh, spent last night changing all the Educational Decrees to show the text of various _Quibbler_ articles. Nobody saw me, but I saw Snape poking at one with his wand just before dinner. I'm sure by now he knows it was me.'

'So, what do we do now?' Lavender asked. 'It's kind of exciting, being in hiding.'

'Well, mostly we sit around watching Neville try to tune the radio to Potterwatch, until Ernie gets impatient and pushes him out of the way,' Seamus said.

_'I'll_ try,' Parvati said. 'I'm sure I can get it much quicker than either of you.'

'Great,' Seamus said with false cheer. He turned to Lavender. 'And now we get to watch Parvati get impatient with Neville, Ernie, the radio, _and_ the rest of us.'

'Seamus,' Susan called from her hammock. 'There's Chocolate Frogs in my trunk. Eat one, for Merlin's sake. It'll cheer you up a bit.'

Neville thought Seamus probably would have taken offence at the suggestion he was anything less than cheerful, had he not fallen on Susan's trunks with cries of glee, digging for the promised chocolate. After he'd ripped the head off one Frog, he threw a couple each to Neville and Ernie.

'That does hit the spot, cheers, Susan,' Ernie said, mouth full of chocolate.

'Blasted thing,' Parvati said, pushing the wireless away and crossing her arms.

'Where's the bathroom?' Lavender inquired. Neville pointed to the door in the back of the room. Lavender poked her head in and gasped in shock. 'But there's only a loo! How are we supposed to wash? And clean up?'

'Huh?' all three boys said. Neville continued. 'It's not like there's a lot of activity in here, Lavender. We sleep, swear at the radio, head down the tunnel to the Hogs' Head, then sleep some more.'

'You mean you haven't washed?' she said, scandalised.

'Well, no,' Neville didn't think he should feel embarrassed by this - he was a boy, why _should_ he care - until he inexplicably thought that Hannah would be back soon. He probably was pretty grubby by now, maybe a shower, at least, if not a bath...

As he had this thought, he was interrupted by a creaking and groaning in the bathroom. Lavender dropped the door in surprise, then opened it again. 'O-kay,' she said slowly. 'Now there's a shower, and a giant bath, and a basin, and ooh, a cabinet. I wonder what's-' she disappeared into the room, and they could hear the sounds of her rummaging in the shelves. 'Ooh, nice,' they heard her say. 'And heaps of towels! Don't come in!' she commanded.

Susan had opened a book and was lying back on her hammock reading. 'Should we be practicing Defence, while we're in here?' she suggested.

'We have been,' said Neville, thankful to get back to a topic he was comfortable with. 'We've been doing Shields, mainly, and Body Binds and Stupefy. Now there's an even number, we can pair off a bit easier.'

'Stupid damn blasted thing,' Parvati was fiddling with the radio again.

'Let me try, Parvati, I've become quite proficient at tuning the wireless,' Ernie said. Parvati glared at him, and Seamus began to knock his head against the wall as Ernie and Parvati bickered about the best location for the wireless. Susan blissfully ignored them all, reading her Charms text, and the sounds of happy splashing in the bathroom suggested Lavender was pleased with the addition to the Room.

Neville sighed, but this time, it was rather happy. For six years, he'd thought of the Gryffindors as a sort of dysfunctional family - they fought among themselves, but always sided with each other against the rest of the school. This year, though, he'd begun to see he had an extended family among the Hufflepuffs, and even the Ravenclaws. He'd begun to think of them as the siblings he'd never have - and the bickering that went on certainly meant he understood why Ginny often moaned about her brothers. But still. It was good knowing he could count on them to back him up.

He looked up. Susan was looking at him speculatively. He glanced away and caught sight of Hannah's cloak, lying across his pillows.

Neville stifled the urge to bury his head in his hands.

'Say, Neville,' Susan said, 'why is Hannah's cloak on your hammock? It was cold yesterday, and we were all rugged up, but she said she wasn't cold, and that she didn't have her cloak anyway, and would I please stop bothering her about it, because she was much more worried about him than herself.'

He blushed. Susan grinned, looking back down at her book.

'It's just too easy,' she muttered to herself.

**Day 9.**

A little over a week after Neville took refuge, the Room had expanded to a dozen hammocks, and there were always people in there who were still attending classes and sleeping in the dorms. Lavender had quickly devised a bathroom roster that made sure everyone was clean and washed - and that her showers never ran out of hot water. Ernie and Parvati took it in turns to swear at the wireless. Neville was forced to take assistants down the tunnel with him for food and drinks - he'd learnt quickly that it was useless taking Lavender, who talked his ear off and could be heard a mile away, or Seamus, who always wanted to stay in the pub for a nip of Firewhiskey. Susan kept giving him knowing looks, but at least she could keep quiet and she wasn't an Irish drunk. They'd just returned with lunches when the door creaked open, and Hannah pushed in two fourth years Neville sort of recognised, a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor. Hannah was furious - he and Susan shoved the lunches into Mandy Brocklehurst's care and went to confer with Hannah.

'Go on, then,' she said, poking at the Hufflepuff boy. He greatly resembled her, and Neville realised it was Hannah's brother, Geoffrey. 'Tell Neville what you told me. Stupid, stupid kids. Do you know what they've done?' she demanded of Neville and Susan. Neville shrugged.

'Tell him, Geoff. What have you two, in your infinite wisdom, done?'

'I'm Muggleborn,' the Gryffindor girl said proudly. Neville stared at her.

'Then how are you still here?' Susan asked calmly. 'And who are you?'

'Natalie McDonald,' she said. 'And I lied.'

' _We_ lied,' Geoff said. 'See, me and Nat were on the train together back at the start of the year when that announcement came over that all Muggleborns had to get off and register themselves before they could come to Hogwarts. But Nat said she didn't want to do that, because we figured she probably wouldn't come back. Cause, see, Dennis Creevey and his brother had already been found on the platform, and kicked out. So I told Nat that I'd tell anyone who asked that she was my cousin. And then when we got here, that's what we did.'

'Keep going,' Hannah said sternly.

'Well, that's the thing, isn't it,' Natalie continued. 'Geoff said I was his cousin, and the Carrows seemed to accept it, but see, Snape knows I'm Muggleborn. And I figured he'd give me up on the first day, but I had to try, right? Hogwarts is my _home_. But he didn't, and so we just kept going, but then, this morning, this idiot -' she punched Geoff in the shoulder - 'he starts talking about what we should do on the holidays, and he says we should stay with my parents, and do some Muggle stuff, and that Slytherin prefect girl from your year, Pansy Whatever, heard, and she said she was going to tell the Carrows, so we nicked off and found Hannah, and she bought us here.'

'It was a stupid thing to do, you could have gotten in serious trouble,' Hannah glared at her brother. 'I mean, I know you're a prat, but you shouldn't go around putting other people in danger like that. Neville, show them your scars. See what happens when you go around doing stupid things?'

'Hey,' Neville said. 'I wasn't doing _stupid_ things, remember, I was -'

'Oh,' Hannah blushed. The two kids scampered off to get lunch, and Susan followed them, shaking her head.

'Is that what everyone thinks?' Neville asked quietly. 'That I'm just being stupid?'

'No,' Hannah said forcefully. 'I'm an idiot, I didn't mean it like that...' she trailed off, and sank onto the old couch in the corner. Neville sat next to her, still annoyed at her words.

'I suppose it was stupid,' he said. 'I mean, look how it's ended up. Prisoners in our own school, we can't leave or fight or do anything useful. I guess we didn't really ever have a chance against them.'

'It was not stupid,' Hannah said. 'Well, okay, some of it might have been a bit stupid. But only in that fearlessly noble Gryffindor way that you all have, you know, where you do kind of rush in without thinking of the consequences, but you do it for all the right reasons, to protect the rest of us. I meant it the other day, you know, the little kids love you. Without you and your stupid, wonderful, Gryffindor bravery, we'd all either be Death Eater slaves, or dead.'

'Yeah, but-'

'They'll be back, Neville. Harry'll come back, after he does what he needs to do, and he'll defeat You Know Who, and we'll kick out the Death Eaters, and it'll be over. Well, as much as it can be.'

Neville looked at the Room, and at his classmates, his brothers- and sisters-in-arms, flung around their space, eating sandwiches and comparing defensive spells.

'It's never going to be the same, is it?' he asked, not needing an answer. 'Even if we win - even _when_ we win - it won't be the same. There'll be so much to fix, I mean, Hogwarts and the Ministry and everything, it's all beyond recognition. Everything's so completely screwed up. They attacked my _grandmother_ , Hannah. They killed your mum. They abducted Luna and drove the Weasleys into hiding. They banished Dean and Justin and Lisa and Colin and all of the others and we don't know where they are or if they're-' he couldn't say dead, he couldn't.

'No, we don't,' Parvati said. She'd come to stand in front of them, along with Seamus, Padma, Lavender, Ernie, Susan, Mandy and Terry. 'But we'll keep fighting, Neville, for the chance that we'll get them back. And we'll keep fighting, in case we don't get them back. And we'll do it together, because all we have left is each other.' Her voice hitched, but she stood tall. 'It's like what Harry said in fifth year. All those great witches and wizards, they were once our age, too. And if they'd given up, the world would have fallen to the Dark centuries ago. They didn't give up, and we won't give up. You said it too, Neville, at the beginning of the year. When we called the first DA meeting, remember? We can't sit back and let other people fight for our future. If it's our future, we're going to fight for it.'

Neville stood up, holding a hand out to help Hannah up. 'Dumbledore's Army,' he said, drawing strength from each of them.

Parvati nodded. 'Dumbledore's Army,' she repeated. 'For the future.'

**Day 11.**

Lavender's off-center curse missed Michael by mere centimetres as he entered the Room, and he swore at her after the door was safely closed.

'I'm sorry!' she snapped. 'How was I supposed you know you'd come skulking in at the very moment I had to duck from Ernie's hex, hey?'

He grinned, dumping a duffle bag by a newly appeared Ravenclaw hammock. 'You're gorgeous when you're trying to kill me,' he said. Lavender poked her tongue out as the others stopped their Defence practice and gathered around.

'What's happened?' Neville asked.

'Nothing,' Michael answered. 'I was just getting sick of all the homework.' He laughed as they scoffed at him.

'Uh huh,' Parvati said. 'Mr Ravenclaw is sick of homework.'

'It was becoming prudent that I disappear,' Michael admitted, sitting on the hammock. 'With Luna and Ginny out of the way, and you in hiding, Neville, I'm no longer Hogwarts Public Enemy number four - I've been number one for a week and a half. I can't handle it, all that pressure to be Gryffindor-like.'

'You?' Lavender poked Michael's upper arm. 'You'd never make it as a Gryffindor. You couldn't handle the death threats.' As she teased, she plonked herself on the hammock next to him, forcing him to either move or wrap his arm around her shoulder. He chose the arm and smiled slightly.

Anyway,' Michael continued, 'they haven't come after me again yet, but I figure the time can't be far away. I've been lying low - I've no intentions of letting them get their hands on me again - but a week of looking over my shoulder is more than enough.' His eyes had darkened, and Neville shuddered involuntarily. It had been three months since he'd been caught - three months since the Carrows had _chained_ Melina King, a Gryffindor first year, to the wall of the detention room for talking back in class. Neville hadn't kept his mouth shut all year, and they hadn't chained him to anything. The injustice burned at him and the other seventh years, but while they'd been discussing the best plan of action, Michael had stolen away and unchained her. They'd been caught on their way back to Gryffindor, Melina sent on her way and Michael held in the dungeon for two days. As far as Neville knew, Melina had not spoken in any class since, and Michael would probably always have the limp and the scars on his hands.

Neville frowned, changing the subject. 'Who was public enemy number five? Because maybe we should get them in here, too.'

'Actually, I think it was you,' Michael said, nodding at Parvati. She sat up a little and preened.

'Really? That's... pretty exciting, actually.'

'Yeah. Padma's having a grand time. She nicked a Gryffindor scarf from somewhere, and she keeps wearing it to class, and they think it's you. Amycus was beside himself the other day, till she managed to convince him she wasn't you. She showed him her uniform, burst into tears and cried 'How would you feel if _your_ sister was accused of being a Harry Potter supporter?' He couldn't work out if that meant she was on their side or not, so he let her out of class to 'compose herself'. She went back to the Tower and finished stewing the Murtlap essence.'

Parvati grinned. 'That's my girl,' she said proudly, as they went back to Defence practice, Michael taking his place next to Lavender.

**Day 13.**

Hannah was telling Neville, Seamus and Michael the latest gossip - 'Harry and Ron and Hermione broke into _Gringotts_ and escaped on a _dragon_! It's all over _Potterwatch_ , Terry heard it before dinner and he shouted it out. Everyone heard, but then Carrow started laying into him, didn't even bother with magic. Padma's just healing him up, and then they'll be -' when the door did slide open and Padma came in, holding it open for Renee and Anthony, supporting Terry between them. Everyone cheered, and Michael rushed over to help his friend to a seat.

'Pretty stupid, Boot. You know they've had it in for you for months,' Seamus said, holding out a hand. Terry shook it gingerly.

'Yeah, but worth it. Should have seen the look on his face,' he said proudly.

'Shh,' Renee said, a blonde sixth year in glasses. 'He's got a broken jaw, don't make him talk,' she glared at Seamus, who started protesting his innocence.

'All right,' Neville said loudly. 'If this is true, it's going to get even worse for us out there. Are we all here?' Everyone nodded. 'Terry, I know you wanted to stay out for your sister, but I think it's best you don't. We can try to smuggle her in later tonight, if you like. Hannah, Tony, Padma, you three should probably stay in the dorms and keep going to class. The kids don't need to lose the Head Boy and Girl right now, and Padma, there's more need for your Healing out there.

'I agree,' said Anthony. 'And if we're out there, we can keep telling people what we're doing, that you're all still here.'

'Neville...' a whisper came from the back wall. Ariana stood in her portrait, beckoning him. Neville listened to her message, then turned to the room, a large grin spreading over his scarred face.

'Seamus, get your coin and contact Luna. Try Dean as well, hopefully he's still got his coin, if he isn't still with Luna,' he ordered. 'Parvati, get Ginny and her brothers. Padma, get Cho. Hannah, the Creeveys. Lavender, the other Gryffindors, Ernie, the Hufflepuffs, Michael, the Ravenclaws. Tell 'em to get to the Hog's Head - tell them it's on.'

'Neville?' Parvati asked, a smile spreading over her face, as if she knew what was coming. 'Is it really them?'

'Yeah,' Neville crowed. 'Harry's back.'

***********

They all watched as Harry and Luna disappeared under the cloak, then as the secret door closed. A million eyes turned to Neville.

'What now, Neville?' Hannah asked. 'Do we wait?' As she spoke, the door opened again, and the old members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team piled in, followed by Professor Lupin and a man who could only be a Weasley along with Fleur Delacour, Ginny's parents, and an Auror that Neville knew by sight only.

'We're on,' Fred told the newcomers happily. 'It's grand news, Neville, old son. We were bored witless at Muriel's.'

'Neville Longbottom?' Professor Lupin asked. He grinned. 'You're the mastermind behind this student rebellion? I am impressed. Good for you.'

Mr and Mrs Weasley were busy attacking Ron and Hermione with hugs and kisses. 'I thought we'd lost you!' Mrs Weasley cried, and Ron squirmed out of her arms.

'Hermione!" he yelled suddenly, ignoring the twins' cuffing him around the ears. 'Bathroom - we have to go!" He dragged a protesting Hermione to the side and whispered in her ear. She jumped a mile and they both rushed towards the door.

'Have to go - Harry's mission - we'll be back!' Hermione called back breathlessly as the door slammed shut behind them. The room fell silent and everyone turned to Neville, once more.

'Well, fuck,' he said.

' _Neville Longbottom!_ ' gasped Hannah.

The twins applauded.

'Situation seemed to call for it,' Neville shrugged as Harry and Luna re-entered the room.

'Harry, what's happening?' Lupin asked, stopping him at the stairs.

'Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school - Snape's run for it - what are you doing here? How did you know?'

'We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army. You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, and the DA let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed from there,' Fred told him. Harry looked a little bewildered.

'What first, Harry?' George called from the back of the room, where he was hugging Alicia and Katie. 'What's going on?'

'They're evacuating the younger kids and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organised.' Harry stood tall. 'We're fighting.'

There was a roaring cheer, and the DA and Order swept from the room. Neville waited for Hannah to catch up to him and grabbed her hand. She smiled at him, and he grinned back.

'This is it,' he said, 'isn't it?'

'It is. Come on, superhero,' she said. 'Let's go save the world.'


End file.
